Fresh start

Chapter 17

Sophia pov

three months later

"Don't stress, baby. Your work is perfect. The professor will be thrilled." Kevin yells at me from the living room. I'm anxious for a week. I will hand over a project to the most demanding professor there is. I take my things and go to the living room.

"Ok. I'm ready. Let's go" he looks at me and smiles. We enter the elevator

"Don't forget you have an appointment at 9 with Mr. Prince for ..."

"I know, love. You told me what I needed to do until you came. You concentrate on your work for the university. Ok?" He looks at his watch.

"Well, we'll leave you first, and then Dean will take me to the office" I'm going to say something

"I will catch up. You must be there at eight o'clock. I have time until nine o'clock."

"Sorry. This university professor is so demanding. If I pass his course, everything else is easy."

"I know, baby. But don't worry. Paul and I and also my father read your work, and it was excellent. And don't forget the three of us studied administration." I sigh

"I know. I have to relax. But I want so much to make you proud. That you gave me a job and for my knowledge not powder because you liked me and you wanted me."

"I chose you for your studies," he says

"Yeah, right," and I roll my eyes. We get in the car and start. He turns and looks at me.

"I'm proud of you. You're the strongest and smartest person. I didn't take you just because I wanted to see you every day. Ok, I admit that. But I also hired you because you know four languages, you already have a degree in management and economics. And while you can be content with these, you continue for a master's degree in one of the best universities. And you tell me you want to learn a fifth language. I think that when you get your master's degree, you should get a promotion from simple PA."

"I'm not just a PA. I'm the president's PA," I tell him with a smile.

"You know what I mean," he tells me. And I smile at him. The thing is, I don't want to continue working for Kevin. It is a perfect, friendly environment, excellent salary but I want something of my own. And lately, I've been thinking a lot about getting a doctorate. But this later, let's take the master's and see. We arrived at the university, I greeted Kevin, he said good luck to me, and I walked towards the building. In less than ten minutes, I'm out of the teacher's office. After half an hour, I finished the presentation, and all I had to wait for was the grade. But from what the professor told me, I understood that he liked the work. So I have a very good feeling that I will do well. Then I talked to other professors to take notes on their courses. Fortunately, I also attend e-courses. There are also afternoon classes, so I am comfortable with work. I left quickly for work, and it was already eleven am, until twelve and a half pm, which is the meeting, I caught up. In my taxi, I text the lawyer that he has good news.

The divorce process is over, and I call him. The divorce is done it ended. I'm free. I called him, and we arranged for him to send me the papers by email and post—my God at last. I arrive at the office around twelve, and it is busy. I look forward to telling Kevin about the divorce. I approach the door, half-open, and I hear his voice. He is probably talking on the phone. I leave the bag and take off my coat. I listen to him say the word divorce and after a while, 'thank you, Mr. Petropoulos.' He can not. I heard something wrong. I approach the door and open it. He is surprised and hangs up the phone.

"My love, you came. How did it go? Did he like your work?" That's how you want it to go.

"Good. From what I understood and he told me I did very well. He liked it. "

"I told you he would like it" restrain yourself, Sophia

"Now. Why you havent told me you have Greek customers." he frows.

"What do you mean? You know our customers, you speak to them first" he continues to play. My nerves

"Strange. I heard you on the phone saying goodbye to Mr. Petropoulos. And look coincidence, my lawyer in Greece has the same name. And I hear another coincidence, today I spoke with him." he doesn't speak, he looks at me

"Just tell me that the gentleman you were talking to is not a lawyer and is not in Greece," I say, and I feel my eyes water from my nerves

"Sophia?"

"Tell me," I say and raise my voice

"Let me explain, and you will understand " I'm breathing and trying to hold back my tears.

" What did you do? "he gets up and approaches me.

"Stay there. Don't come any closer" he will try to touch me, and this will make me weak. I always melt at his touch.

"Ok. I guess I'll say it from here" he takes a deep breath.

"Ok. About three months ago, I learned that your ex was blackmailing you into giving you the divorce. Please don't ask where I found out. The point was that I found out" Steffie and I swore to her to say nothing

"I saw you were worried. You were trying to hide it from me, but I realized you had something. So I found your lawyer's phone, I called him and arranged for the proceedings to be expedited."

"How did you arrange it?" he's looking at me

“How did you arrange it?” I say annoying

"I paid"

"Oh my God," I say and put my hands on my face. I turn around and sit on the couch. He comes and sits across from me at the coffee table.

"Why? I told you many times that I want to finish it on my own. And the thing is, you did it without knowing it."

"Would you let me do it?" asks me

"This is not the issue. The issue is that you acted behind my back and did something you knew I didn't want to do."

"You wouldn't let me do it. And I wanted to end it. I could help, and I did. And I will not apologize for that," he tells me with a bit of nerve

"It was my business. I had to solve it. I didn't need your money for that." I say and get up

"But this money helped you get a divorce. and much faster."

"And everyone will keep saying that I'm taking advantage of you. That's exactly why I didn't want you to put YOUR money for MY divorce. Because people talk and talk bad." I say and emphasize the appropriate words. I start crying, but I quickly wipe my tears

"Who's talking?" he asks me angrily. I don't answer, and I try to look anywhere except his eyes. "Sophia? Who's talking?"

"That doesn't matter."

"It matters to me. Who says bad things about you?" I look at him, but I don't speak. What I will say that all the women in the office who have a crush on him. They curse me whenever they find an opportunity.

He cups my face approaches me.

"From the moment you accepted to be together, there is no mine and yours. There is ours. The divorce was OUR problem. Because I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. And this man, It was an obstacle for our happiness. So I didn't hesitate at all, I could solve it, and I solved it. Nothing and no one will stop me from being with you." He kisses me and continues, "I don't want you to be hurt by what others say. You love me, and I know it. I can feel it. I love you too, and that's why I did what I did. I will not apologize for doing it for us. The only thing I regret is that You didn't find it from me. And you found it that way."

He kisses me sweetly and then hugs me. My head was on his chest to listen to his heart. And he rests his chin on my head.

"Guys? Everything okay?" I turn and see Paul. The meeting.

"Oh my God. The meeting." I say and wipe my tears.

"I'm going to the bathroom to freshen up. Sorry" I go to the bathroom and hear Kevin explain what happened. We went to the meeting, and everything went well. Today was quiet, and we left early. Kevin insisted we go out to dinner to celebrate. Although they were looking at us strangely in the restaurant, I tried not to pay attention. I cant understand. My outfit is professional, modern, and relatively expensive. I have a sign that says Look at the poor and the billionaire'? I don't get it.

" Are you having fun?" Kevin asks me

"Yes, fine. But you know me, I'm more stay in the house person ." he grabs my hand

"I know, my love. But today we are celebrating, that's why I said to take you out for dinner."

"I know. You did well," I tell him with a smile. He glances around the restaurant

"Do you feel uncomfortable? I see that many were looking at us" I look around. What am I doing here? They are all celebrities, billionaires, and generally rich people. I am the daughter of a simple teacher and a nurse. Here I am like the little girl with the matches. Play cool

"No. I'm fine. We don't go out often, and so let's enjoy it" Kevin didn't seem convinced, but he left it. Until we eat and chat a little. I was counting the seconds. I looked as cheerful as I could. I saw him a few times angry, but I calmed him down as much as I could. They already looked at me as a stranger, let alone one of his, to create a scene. We had to go to Tyler's restaurant. No here.

We left, and as soon as I came out, I breathed freely. Dean came and picked us up, and all the way, we held hands with Kevin. Why the world can't be more simple? We did not talk on the road. When we entered the apartment, he turned to me and told me

"I love you very much" in Greek. I smiled at him and kissed him, "I love you too." and we went to bed.